A historic but fraudulent victory for the left, and surprise entry in the race for an eccentric millionaire: Colombia's presidential election continues to amaze. There is a duel for round two which promises to be close and crowns an anti-system vote to detriment to traditional forces.
These two candidates defeated the conservative-liberal elites that ruled Colombia for over two centuries with the themes of "change" and the fight against corruption.
"Petro-Hernandez is a message from the old political classes", clearly points out El Espectador, which on Monday noted that the two anti-system candidates are "a reconfiguration in the national political landscape".
Elizabeth Dickinson (an analyst at International Crisis Group) said that "the anti-establishment mood is impressive."
The economic shock of the pandemic and the massive anti-government protests that erupted in cities after four years of President Ivan Duque's term, which saw no substantive reform, has left the "Colombians very angry", according to Michael Shifter, a professor at the American University of Georgetown.
It's a masterful slap for the Democratic Center (in control) and Alvaro Uribe, its mentor (2002-2010). Federico Gutierrez (the candidate) immediately conceded defeat and asked for Hernandez to be voted in the second round.
Petro stated that the conservative and liberal "allies", of the outgoing right wing government, have been "defeated." Hernandez celebrated in his kitchen and on social networks, "The bad guys thought they were forever in business"
Eugenie Richard, professor of Externado University, says that the historically powerful elite is "losing ground" while there is "a nation that is changing". Michael Shifter notes that "we end up having two anti-system candidates at the end."
The ICG expert says that Petro, who had been a favorite in the polls for many months, was now preparing to face Gutierrez, a struggling candidate, in round two. However, the "deal gets complicated” with his half-hearted win. She explains that the electorate who rejects the old political classes now has the option of two candidates and not Petro, who is now under a glass ceiling.
Petro must modify his speech to reach as many people as possible, especially urban youth and those who have voted less, says Alexander Gamba, professor at Saint Thomas University's sociology faculty. . On Sunday, 54.91% of 38 million registered voters voted.
Petro must also "stop being the anti-elite candidate" and be able to defend democracy because many Hernandez positions are "openly anti-democratic", says the sociologist.
